Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 5).djvu/207

Rh States district attorney for Ohio, and in 1859 was defeated as the Democratic candidate for governor. In 1862 he was again elected a judge of the supreme court, but in 1864 resigned, and resumed practice in Cleveland.

RANNEY, William, artist, b. in Middletown, Conn., 9 May, 1813 ; d. in West Hoboken, N. J.. 18 No., 1857. The name that was given him at bap- tism was William Tylee, but he never used the latter. At the age of thirteen he was taken to Fay- etteville, N. C., by his uncle, where he was appren- ticed to a tinsmith, but seven years later he was .-t inlying drawing in Brooklyn. When the Texan struggle began, Ranney enlisted, and during the campaign became acquainted with many trappers and guides of the west. After his return home he devoted himself mainly to portraying their life and habits. Among his works are " Boone's First View of Kentucky," " On the Wing," " Washington on his Mission to the Indian?" (1847), " Duck-Shoot- ing," which is in the Corcoran gallery, Washing- ton, ' The Sleigh-Ride," and " The Trapper's Last Shot." Many of these have been engraved. He was a frequent exhibitor at the National acade- my, of which he was elected an associate in 1850.

RANSIER, Alonzo Jacob, politician, b. in Charleston, S. C., 3 Jan., 1836; d. there, 17 Aug., 1882. He was the son of free colored people, and, having obtained by himself some education, was employed, when sixteen years of age, as a shipping- clerk by a merchant of Charleston. In Octo- ber, 1865, he took part in a convention of the friends of equal rights in Charleston, and was de- puted to present to congress the memorial that was adopted. He was elected a member of the Consti- tutional convention of 1868, was an elector on the Grant and Colfax presidential ticket, and was sent .to the legislature in the following year. He was also chosen chairman of the Republican state central committee, filling that office till 1872, and in 1870 was elected lieutenant-governor of South Carolina by a large majority. He was president of the con- vention from the southern states that was held at Columbia. S. C., in 1871, and was a vice-president of the Republican national convention at Phila- delphia in 1872. In that year he was elected a representative in congress, and served from 1 Dec., 1873, till 3 March, 1875. When the Democratic party reached power in South Carolina in 1877, he lust his official posts, and afterward suffered great poverty, being employed from that time till his death as a street-laborer.

'''RANSOM. George Marcellus.''' naval officer, b. in Springfield. Otsego co., N. Y.. 18 Jan., 1820. He was educated in the common schools of New York and Ohio, entered the navy as a midshipman on 25 July, 1839, studied at the" naval school in Phila- delphia, became a passed midshipman on 2 July, 1845, a master on 28 June. 1853. and a lieutenant on 21 Feb., 1854. He served on the coast of Africa in 1856-'7, was commissioned lieutenant - com- mander on 16 July, 1862, and, in command of the steam gun-boat "Kineo," of the Western Gulf block- ading squadron, had several engagements with the enemy in March and April. 1862. He passed the forts "Jackson and St. Philip in Farragut's fleet, engaged the ram " Manassas." and in May, 1862, a field-battery at Grand Gulf. He performed effective service in shelling Gen. John C. Breckinridge's army at Baton Rouge, 5 Aug., 1862, and engaged a I uittery and a force of guerillas on 4 Oct. He was promoted commander on 2 Jan.. 1863, and served with the North Atlantic blockading squad- ron in command of the steamer " Grand Gulf " in 1864, and captured three steamers off Wilmington. He was commissioned captain on 2 March, 1870, and commodore on 28 March, 1877, and was re- tired. 18 June, 1882.

RANSOM, Matt Whitaker, senator, b. in Warren county, N. C., 8 Oct., 1826. He was gradu- ated at the University of North Carolina in 1847, and admitted to the bar the same year, and was presidential elector on the Whig ticket in 1852. For the subsequent three years he was state at- torney-general, and then, joining the Democratic party, was a member of the legislature in 1858, and in 1861 one of the three North Carolina commis- sioners to the Confederate congress in Montgom- ery, Ala. He did his utmost to avert the war, but, on the secession of his state, volunteered as a private in the Confederate service, and was at once appointed lieutenant-colonel of the 1st North Carolina infantry, with which he marched to the seat of war in Virginia. He was chosen colonel of the 35th North Carolina infantry in 1862, partici- pated with his regiment in all the important battles of the Army of Northern Virginia, was severely wounded in the seven days' fight around Rich- mond, and was promoted brigadier - general in 1863 and major-general in 1865, but the fall of the Confederacy prevented the receipt of the latter commission. He resumed his profession in 1866, exerted a pacific influence in the politics of his state, was elected to the U. S. senate as a Demo- crat in 1872, and has served successively by re- election until March, 18115. His brother, Robert, soldier, b. in North Carolina about 1830 ; d. in New- berne, N. C., 14 Jan., 1892. He was graduated at the U. S. military academy, and assigned to the 1st dragoons. He was promoted 1st lieutenant in the 1st cavalry, 3 March, 1855, and captain, 31 Jan., 1861, but resigned, 24 May, 1861, and was ap- pointed captain of cavalry in the Confederate army in June. He was made colonel of the 9th North Carolina cavalry soon afterward, became brigadier- general. 6 March, 1862, and major-general, 26 May, 1863. He commanded a brigade and the defences near Kinston, N. C., in 1862, and the Department of Richmond from 35 April till 13 June, 1864. He also commanded the sub-district. No. 2, of the de- partment that included South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida in November, 1864.

RANSOM, Truman Bishop, soldier, b. in Woodstock, Vt., in 1802 ; d. near the city of Mexico, 13 Sept., 1847. He was early left an orphan, entered Capt. Alden Partridge's military academy soon after its opening, taught in several of the schools that Capt. Partridge established subsequently, and on the incorporation of Norwich university in 1835 became vice-president and professor of natural philosophy and engineering. He was also instructor in mathematics in the U. S. navy, did much to reorganize the Vermont militia, in which he was major-general in 1837-'44, and in 1844 succeeded Capt. Pail ridge as president of the university. He was an unsuccessful Democratic candidate for congress in 1840, and for lieutenant-governor in 1846. Gen. Ransom volunteered for the Mexican war. was appointed majoi of the 9th U. S. infantry on 16 Feb., 1847, and colonel on 16 March. He fell at the head of his regiment while storming the works at Chapultepec. His son. Thomas Edward Greenfleld, soldier, b. in Norwich, Vt., 29 Nov., 1834: d. near Rome, 29 Oct., 1864, was educated at Norwich university, learned civil engineering, and in 1851 removed to Illinois, where he engaged in business. He was elected major and then lieutenant-colonel of the llth Illinois, and was wounded while leading a charge at Charlestown, Mo., 20 Aug.. isiil. He participated in the capture of Fort Henry, and